So am I the only one playing Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria?

[David Hingtgen]

After Xenogears, I consider Valkyrie Profile to be the greatest game ever. Coincidently, I also rank XG and VP as having the two best soundtracks ever. And in probably the "longest wait for a sequel" ever, we have Valk Profile 2. And it's really good.

VP2: Silmeria takes a little while to really get into the plot (much like the first--chapters 2 and 3 were almost filler in the first) but gets really cool, at an ever-increasing pace. And it does something I haven't really seen since FF IV: Major characters come and go. Some good twists and surprises, and never "just for shock value"---always good and thought out.

Music---starts out rather generic RPGish (still very very good), but becomes more and more 'VPish' as you go---and you start finding remixes of VP1 music--but they're so remixed you have to REALLY listen and think, it'll never be an obvious "copy". But you'll remember a bit here and think and wonder where you heard it before. Lots of boss battle music--probably 5 or 6 different ones, many for specific bosses. However, none are the hard and fast style of VP1's battle themes. Most lean more towards the "ominous/foreboding/strings/choir" category of boss music.

Anyways---links to VP1 aren't that many at first. You'll certainly get more out of it if you played Lenneth, but certainly not necessary. Oh, and it certainly considers the "good/alternate" ending of VP1 to be canon. But the later you go, the more it refers to VP1, especially its ending. The game certainly stands alone, but could have used just another paragraph or two to explain a certain someone's motivation if you hadn't played the first one.

[JB0]

I'm playing it.

Not very far in, honestly. But it's pretty fun.

Lot more complex than VP1 from a gameplay perspective. I kinda miss the action-game pace of the original.

tri-Ace forgot the sound test...

YAY ARNGRIM!

[wolfx]

I have it but stil stuck on okami. >_<

The damn thing is hard to put down and i'm busy completing quests.

[Akilae]

Playing it right now, just got a certain you-know-who and levelling to fight a certain somebody, but I'm stuck with no more willpower to go on For some reason realizing that I wouldn't be able to access Seraphic Gate until I did EVERYTHING all over again just killed it for me...

[David Hingtgen]

Sound test is apparently unlocked when you beat the game. Kinda like FFX, you have to buy the songs individually. They're cheap though.

I stopped Okami to play VP2. I'm at the final boss, but stopped for the night--lost to the first form 2 times before beating it, and lost to the second(and final) form once, but didn't feel like trying again. First form isn't hard, just long and annoying. I actually found it quicker to do it the "wrong" way.

PS--for anyone playing, you will want the mage-slayer skill by the end of the game. Lots more magic enemies at the end, and final boss is very magic-based. (But being a boss, also has high physical attack and defense--but mage-slayer is about the only skill that'll help). I only had like 1 person with it, and they are annoyingly not available for the final fight. First aid is also the most useful skill, period, especially combined with the Lifeforce Blessing sealstone. Toughness is so useful it's almost cheating, but if you're really getting beat on, equip it.

[Akilae]

There's also the metabolizer + drain (or steal?) wing trick... makes your private army neigh invincible.

[David Hingtgen]

Have a few, but not enough to make the entire party nigh-invincible. Though I am definitely going to go for defense next attempt--I was doing enough damage. Might try the "splitting the party up" trick, though I've never really done it before.

Also, I just kinda feel it to be cheating to use "amazing" combos of certain skills+accessories. Though it seems some bosses NEED that---the two magicians in chapter 4---no amount of magic defense was enough, I had to use toughness and first aid and all that---then had it easy.

When I beat it (hopefully tomorrow) I plan to finish Okami, and then try to finish my "started like a half-year ago" half-done playthrough of VP1 before FF12. Don't know why I never finished it, I never "quit" a replay of a game--and was planning on beating it to be "ready" for VP2.

[Gaijin]

I'm still going through Lenneth on PSP (never palyed the original). Picking up Silmeria afterwards though.

[JB0]

Sound test is apparently unlocked when you beat the game. Kinda like FFX, you have to buy the songs individually. They're cheap though.

YAY!

Radiata Stories was like that too. On the buying the music part. The "sound test" was introduced very early.

Toughness is so useful it's almost cheating, but if you're really getting beat on, equip it.

So there IS a replacement for level 8 survival!

I was mildly disappointed to see the VP2 survival only activates if your HP is over 10%, so it can't chain. I had some silly boss survivals in VP1 due to chaining.

[David Hingtgen]

Very true, I had Aelia (still best non-plot VP character ever) go like 6 "deaths prevented from survival" in a row alone once.

Actually my biggest disappointment in VP2 is rather minor:

Jobs are gender specific. I wanted a female heavy fighter (like Aelia) and mage (like Yumei or Mystina). Plus the lack of spears/halberds. (again, Aelia--she just rocked) (there is one character with a halberd, spoiler, but obvious)

Also, there's really only 2 options for "the character who'll go third" in a special attack chain: Rufus, or someone with a 68pt great magic. Sure there's "heat up" but that sucks up 4 skill points--usually means you have to omit psychosoma. (which just ROCKS for Alicia and Rufus, they're about the only fighters with high magic) There should be a bit more people who can do 60pt specials---there's so many "58pt" ones at the end it's annoying--there should be a LITTLE variation in there, especially considering who/what the attacks are. (trying to avoid spoilers)